Apparatus for the breadth-washing of tape or web material, particularly of fabrics



Oct. 13, 1964 F. FARAGUNA 3,152,464

APPARATUS FOR THE BREADTH-WASHING OF TAPE OR WEB MATERIAL, PARTICULARLY OF FABRICS Filed July 5, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ FiGZ Oct. 13, 1964 F. FARAGUNA' 3,152,464

APPARATUS FOR THE BREADTH-WASHING OF TAPE 0R WEB MATERIAL, PARTICULARLY OF FABRICS Filed July 5, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 I K .IS I [6 j L l v% I I z/jr Md- 4 I] l FIG.3

Oct. 13, 1964 F. FARAGUNA 3,152,464

APPARATUS FOR THE BREADTH-WASHING OF TAPE OR WEB MATERIAL, PARTICULARLY OF FABRICS Filed July 5, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet s NH U 33 f 7 34 P r280 F'E 280/ I I l 28 /27 y i -20b 8 5 Q l 1 l 20 L; I 27/. /29 /I 22 0 36 3O ("'3 Q Q Q q Oct. 13, 1964 F. FARAGUNA 3,152,464

APPARATUS FOR THE BREADTH-WASHING OF TAPE 0R WEB MATERIAL, PARTICULARLY 0F FABRICS Filed July 5, 1962 SSheets-Sheet 4 1 35M I i i 1 I I t I i i I i & i i i i 36 36 1 l... 1 'L Oct; 13, 1964 APPARATUS FOR Filed July 5, 1962 MATERI PARTICULARLY OF F. FARAGUNA BREADTH-WASHING TAPE OR RICS 3,152,464 WEB 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,152,464 AIPARATUS FUR THE BREADTH-WASI-IING 0F TAPE GR WEB MATERIAL, PARTICULARLY OF FABRICS Fiorenzo Faraguna, Bergamo, Italy, assignor to Reggiani S.p.A., Bergamo, Italy Filed July 5, 1962, Ser. No. 207,554 Claims priority, application Italy July 6, 1961 7 Claims. (Cl. 68-184) This application refers to an improved installation for the breadth-washing of fabrics, of the kind as described in the prior patent application No. 102,871, filed April 13, 1961.

The present invention solves the problem of creating a high relative speed between the fabric to be washed and the washing liquid, with a minimum need of energy for the forced circulation of the liquid, due to the particular arrangement of the liquid circulating system.

Additional features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatical sectional view of a first embodiment of the forced liquid circulation system according to this invention;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are side and front views, respectively, of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatical sectional, like FIG- URE 1, of a second embodiment and FIGURES 5 and 6 are corresponding side and front views, respectively, of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatical sectional view, like FIGURES 1 and 4, of a third embodiment.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3: the machine comprises a frame composed of two vertical plates 1 connected to each other by two pairs of rods 2 arranged with a pair in the upper and lower parts of the machine; 3 represents the external shaped wall of the washing vessel.

The fabric is introduced into the vat by means of a roller 5, thus immerging downwards in the liquid, the level of which is indicated by P, and is then deflected by roller 6, and directed upwards; after passing on a guide roller 7 it meets at the outlet the squeezing group formed by the cylinders 8 and 9, of which cylinder 8 is supported by the plates 2, and cylinder 9 is pressed against cylinder 8 by means of the connecting rods 11) which are driven by the hydraulic cylinder 11.

The descending portion 4a of the fabric has a relative speed in respect of the washing liquid, whilst the ascending portion 4b, which travels within the conveyor formed by the walls 3a of the vat 12a of the conveying body 12 fixed within said vat, meets the washing Water in counter-stream, so that the relative speed between fabric and liquid, as summarizing the forwarding speed of the fabric and that of the liquid, may be realised within a considerable scale of values, for the solution of the problem of the maximum washing action with the minimum charges for the energy of circulation, in function of the type of fabric to be washed, and of the kind of the washing liquid.

The result of the washing operation depends on the exchange of the molecules of water contained within the layer adhering to the fabric, what matter is a function of the speed of moving of the liquid.

Iigher is the speed, higher is also the turbulence of the moving, and therefore higher or more operative the washing process.

Higher the speed of circulation, higher is the consumption of energy required for.

The illustrated device realises a flux exempt of brush changements of speed and shocks, thus solving the problem of reducing to the minimum the losses of circulation.

Said device essentially comprises two split openings 13, each one connected with its own distributing ipe 13a, and which throw water in flat jets into the washing conveyor formed, as already said, by the walls 3a and 12a.

The flux travels downwards in opposition of the movement of the fabric, and is finally sucked by the fiat shaped openings 14, that are connected with the sucking pipes 1411.

Each one of the distributing pipes 13a is then connected with the inlet pipes 15 (see FIGURES 2 and 3), which end at the distributor 16, which in turn is in communication with the axial pump 17. The pump sucks the liquid through the distributor 18 and the pipes 19 which are connected to the ends of the pipes 14a. Pump 17 is driven by an electric motor M.

The pipe set of this circuit with wide connections is designed in order to ensure the least possible total development, and the least possible losses due to shock.

The maximum speed measure is accomplished in the washing zone, and the increase and decrease of the speed between the speed in the washing zone and that within the circulating pipes take place gradually through the inlets, the shape of which is selected so as to reach high data of the transformation of the static energy into dynamic energy or vice versa.

Pipes 15 and 19, when necessary, may be provided with a room for the circulation of a heating medium for the washing bath.

The free level of the liquid washing bath P, is provided above the inlet pipes 132a so that the whole circuit is su-- merged and is controlled by an appropriate gate valve.

Referring to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6: In this case, the relative movement between the fabric and the liquid takes place entirely in counter-stream. The fabric 20 is introduced by the roller 21 vertically into the vat, and the roller 22 inverts the movement of the fabric in the lower portion; said fabric, accordingly guided by roller 23, passes between the squeezing cylinders 24.

Both the downward and upward moving fabric sections 20a and 29b are invested in counter-stream by the flat jets of the liquid thrown through the split openings 25 connected to the distributing pipes 26.

The conveyed liquid between the walls of the vat 27 and the walls 28a of the deflecting body 28, which parts compose a true and real channel of a flattened rectangular cross section travels downwards from inlets 25, passes through the channel 29, formed by the deflector 28b and body 28, and upwards towards split openings 31; the fabric is guided through a channel 36 formed by the roller 22 and the external wall of the vat.

Finally, the upwards travelling liquid is sucked by the split openings 31 that are connected with the sucking pipes 32. The pressure pipes 26 end at the collectors 33, which are connected through the pipes 34 with the axial pump 35, which through the pipes 36 sucks the liquid from the pipes 32 through the collectors 37.

Analogously to the preceding case, the liquid, that composes the bath, the level of which P is controlled by appropriate gate valves, submerges the pressure pipes 26 so as to accomplish the submerged circuit. The liquid of the bath may be heated, and for this purpose the pipes 34 and 36 may be provided with a mantle for the circulation of steam.

Referring to FIGURE 7, there is illustrated another embodiment having a circuit in which the fabric 40 has a descending section 411a and an ascending section 401), which are respectively disposed countercurrent and concurrent to the liquid flow. The liquid enters by the split openings 41 and 42 arranged at the upper end and is sucked by the split openings 43 and 44 arranged at the lower end of channel 45; the remainder of the liquid circuit is identical to those already described for examples two and three.

Also in this case, the washing channel has a substantially flattened rectangular cross cut, particulaly flattened, and constituted by walls 45 of the vat.

In order to facilitate the forwarding of the fabric as Well as maintenance and cleaning of the apparatus, one of the walls forming the vats of the three hereabove described cases may be made openable or demountable.

The Washing machines in question may also be coupled in series operation, in order to comply with the quantity requirements, and in this case the circuits for washing operations will be in series or parallel connection, by means of appropriate pipings for connecting between other the sucking sides of axial pumps.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for breadth-Washing of fabric tape comprising, an elongated narrow channel having inlet and outlet means, guide and traction means operative for passing the tape through said narrow channel at a predetermined speed, washing liquid circulation means including pumping means and being connected to said inlet and outlet means whereby a washing liquid may be passed through said narrow channel at a predetermined speed independent of the speed of the tape, and means defining flat split openings for said inlet means whereby the washing liquid enters said narrow channel in the form of a flat jet spray.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said outlet means are provided with means defining flat split openings to facilitate removal of the washing liquid leaving said narrow channel.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said circulation means includes heating means to heat the washing liquid.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said guide and traction means are operative to pass the tape through said narrow channel in an ascending direction from said outlet means to said inlet means.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said narrow channel comprises a single vertical portion having said inlet and outlet means at the opposite ends of said vertical portion.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said narrow channel comprises a pair of spaced vertical portions having said inlet and outlet means at adjacent ends thereof and having the other ends in communication with each other, said guide and traction means being operative to pass the tape through one of said vertical portions in a descending direction and through the other in an ascending direction.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said guide and traction means are operative to pass the tape through said narrow channel in a descending direction from said inlet means and in an ascending direction towards said inlet means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,074,568 Gantt Sept 30, 1913 1,896,954 Heap Feb. 7, 1933 1,917,065 Rusden July 4, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 853,489 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1960 1,097,322 France Feb. 16, 1955 

1. APPARATUS FOR BREADTH-WASHING OF FABRIC TAPE COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED NARROW CHANNEL HAVING INLET AND OUTLET MEANS, GUIDE AND TRACTION MEANS OPERATIVE FOR PASSING THE TAPE THROUGH SAID NARROW CHANNEL AT A PREDETERMINED SPEED, WASHING LIQUID CIRCULATION MEANS INCLUDING PUMPING MEANS AND BEING CONNECTED TO SAID INLET AND OUTLET MEANS WHEREBY A WASHING LIQUID MAY BE PASSED THROUGH SAID NARROW CHANNEL AT A PREDETERMINED SPEED INDEPENDENT OF THE SPEED OF THE TAPE, AND MEANS DEFINING FLAT SPLIT ENTERS SAID NARROW CHANNEL IN THE FORM OF A FLAT JET SPRAY. 